It is most important that a paint brush be cleaned thoroughly after each use; if it is not cleaned thoroughly the following problems are created:
a. Paint accumulates in the heel, the area of bristles next to the ferrule, and gradually shortens the useable length of the bristles, thus reducing the paint carrying capacity of the brush. PA0 b. Some of the bristles may become stuck together and hardened, causing fingering and reduced flexibility of the bristles. When a brush is in this condition its ability to spread a coating evenly is substantially reduced. PA0 c. The residue in the brush may contaminate the paint the next time the brush is used. PA0 d. The useful life of the brush is shortened. PA0 e. Paint accumulates on the ferrule and the brush loses its neat appearance. PA0 a. Soak the brush in the proper solvent for a few minutes. PA0 b. Hold the paint brush firmly on a flat support and manually comb the bristles with a wire brush or brush comb. The combing action is in one direction only, from the heel to the tip of the brush. This combing action loosens and removes the semi-dried paint from the bristles and the ferrule; and it does not injure the paint brush. PA0 c. Using clean solvent, rinse the brush until the wash solvent is not discolored.
When cleaning a paint brush it is common practice first to work the brush vigorously by hand while using a solvent which is miscible with the type of paint being used. Then, using clean solvent, this process is repeated as many times as is necessary to clean the brush. However, if the paint has started to dry in the brush, this process becomes difficult and time consuming. The problem of removing partially dried paint occurs frequently when water base latex paint is being used, for the latex globules will start to coalesce to form a dry film in a matter of 15 to 30 minutes.
When there is partially dried paint in the brush the following cleaning procedure is considerably more effective and time saving: